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Desert
 Desert Habitat (Desert)
The desert is a dry place with hot days, cool nights, and very little rainfall. Animals and plants must be able to protect themselves from the extremes of heat and cold. Cacti, sparse grasses, and small, waxy leafed shrubs are widely scattered throughout the habitat.
A Desert Morning
In the cool of the morning, a female mule deer makes its way through the desert. Many plants and animals found here have special adaptations that allow them to conserve water and avoid the heat. Many animals are active at night, spending days in relatively cool burrows, or in other sheltered locations.
Fragile Deserts
 Although it may not look like it, the desert is a very fragile habitat. Shortages of water, slow growth rate of plants, and low species diversity make it difficult for deserts to rebound from disturbances. Damage done by off road vehicles is a major threat to U.S. deserts.
Deserts may appear empty to the untrained eye, but they are filled with specially adapted creatures, often found nowhere else. When cities like Las Vegas spread into the adjoining desert, valuable habitat is lost. Because of the severe conditions, humans have intruded less into deserts than some of the other habitats.
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Although it may not look like it, the desert is a very fragile habitat. Shortages of water, slow growth rate of plants, and low species diversity make it difficult for deserts to rebound from disturbances. Damage done by off road vehicles is a major threat to U.S. deserts.
